Opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent the views of the congregation I joyfully serve. But my congregation loves me!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Evolution is Post-Creation

Ever vigilant, I keep you up to date on what the Letters to the Editor say about creation and evolution. Here is one to try to wrap your brain around:

Faith and rationalization

I am a Christian. I feel no hatred toward the self-avowed atheist who wrote supporting evolution. He is trying to understand things, and he is right about using our rational minds to figure out what is true or not. But ...

1. Rationally, evolution has nothing to do with creation. It is post-creation. Evolution is the development of what is from what was. It, therefore, requires something from which other things evolve. That “something” was creation. There is only scientific speculation (faith?) as to the origin, or creation, of that something, but many scientists do think it was God.

2. Rationally, God’s existence cannot be proven scientifically — unless he wills it. That’s why it’s called faith. But it is rational to believe he created whatever we evolved from.

The alternative is that creation just somehow happened; that there was nothing, and then there was something.

3. Rationally, the Bible may be “ ... a great work of reading fiction.” But “rational” is a human concept. The real concern is whether the Bible is fiction from its author’s point. It may appear fictional, or incomplete, because we don’t understand its message.

Rather than trying to understand what we’re being taught, we should study the Bible ourselves deeply, inquiringly, open-mindedly and prayerfully.

I pray neither our atheist friend nor I receive hateful comments. “Christian” and “hate” should not appear in the same sentence (except here). God loves even those who hate or disavow him. So should Christians — both rationally and in faith.